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Top TELUS WISE Privacy Tips in honour of Data Privacy Day

Top TELUS WISE Privacy Tips in honour of Data Privacy Day

Nimmi Kanji

Director - TELUS Wise

Published on: January 26, 2018

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Data Privacy Day in Canada. Recognized around the world, Privacy Day is an international effort to raise awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust.

As a Data Privacy Day Champion, we not only put our customers’ privacy first, we also want to help you protect your own privacy in our digital world. Read on for our top 3 tips to safeguard your privacy online:

Think before you click – whether it’s connecting to an unknown Wi-Fi network, downloading an app without researching it first, or blindly accepting terms and conditions online, you may be unknowingly giving up information about yourself. What kind of information? Your name, your contact details, your location, your friends or contact lists, photos, and the list goes on. Your information is valuable and you need to be thoughtful about what information you’re giving up and to whom, as well as understand how that information will be used. You also want to be sure you’re not oversharing – for instance posting about your travel plans lets others know your house will be sitting empty – or posting a picture of your child in front of their school may reveal information about where your child can be found Monday-Friday.

Pay attention to privacy and permission settings – not only do you need to pay attention to these every time you create a new social media account or download a new app, you also have to check them regularly thereafter, because social networking sites and apps can and do change their default privacy and permission settings. As well, be sure to take time to understand what information is being shared publicly – you may be sharing more than you intended.

Lock down your devices and accounts – always ensure your devices require a password for access (or an even stronger way to authenticate, such as by fingerprint). This can save you a lot of stress if you lose your phone, or accidentally leave it on a restaurant table. Passwords for your devices or online accounts should be difficult to guess and should be changed often. Make your passwords at least six or more characters (numbers, upper and lowercase letters etc) and consider using the first letters of a phrase, instead of a word. An example is Ic3rmLP* which stands for “I can easily remember my laptop password” – some of the letters have been changed into other characters for added complexity (eg. replacing the letter E with the number 3). Set up two-factor authentication or 2FA on accounts and apps where it’s available; this requires you to not only enter your password for access, but a code or PIN that only you would have (for instance one that is sent to your device via SMS).

Want more tips to keep yourself and your family safe online? Arrange for a TELUS WISE workshop – available to elementary school aged children, seniors and everyone in between.